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School Transportation News Magazine is published by STN Media Group


NO DOZE I read with interest Kathleen


Furneaux’s article in the February 2014 issue, “Driver Fatigue: Not as Simple as Getting Enough Sleep.” I have read studies about transit bus drivers and truck drivers and how noise can cause fatigue as well as other health problems. I suppose that school bus drivers are not exposed to noise for the long durations of many other types of drivers, but noise of any type can be a problem for humans. Te points in the article are


excellent: Lifestyle, sleep habits and the growing dependency on medications all need to be ad- dressed. Many transit bus OEMs use sound damping plywood for floors and around engine boxes in some designs. Is this something that may have benefit for school buses? Addressing structure-borne noise reduces airborne noise.


Doug McNeill, McNeill Products & Services, LLC


Manchester, Wash. Editor’s note — We asked STN


Editorial Advisory Board Member Denny Coughlin, president of School


Bus Training Company and the retired fleet manager for Minneapolis Public Schools, to weigh in: "Many years ago, we could purchase an engine noise reduction package. All the manufacturers are sensitive to the engine noise and are designing the cab area of the school bus to minimize engine noise. Te engine covers incor- porate a noise-absorbing material. Te floors are insulated, and most school buses have the acoustical (perforated) roof panels. Te diesel engine of today runs far quieter than the diesels years ago, minimizing the noise feature. Probably the most noise-creating


component of the engine area is the cooling fan. Due to energy efficien- cy, cooling fans are either electric or viscous, engaging only when necessary. Tey often sound like a jet engine when they engage. Te good factor is they only run when needed. In northern climates, that means a minimal amount of engine run time, in southern climates a considerable amount more. Fans usually operate for short intermittent times. Road noise from the tires isn’t much


of a factor since we are running at lower and intermittent speeds. Compared to the passenger noise in


many school buses, I don’t believe the engine noise is a significant factor."


Via LinkedIn: Should school officials be required to notify police if they suspect an employee, such as a school bus driver, is inebriated?


Sometimes you just have to do


the right thing quickly, and ask for forgiveness rather than per- mission. I can’t imagine any sce- nario where it would not be the right thing for any school official to notify the police immediately if he or she legitimately believes a school bus driver is intoxicated while on duty. To be followed up by the employer’s requirement to complete immediate drug and alcohol testing under OTETA, of course, after observation for reasonable suspicion by a trained


supervisor. As with direct reporting of suspected child abuse, which is required under Florida law (and maybe that of other states), suspected drug or alcohol impairment by a bus driver while on duty has to be dealt with immediately. Charlie Hood, state director of student transportation, Florida Department of Education


If a driver is putting the students and public at risk, then that driver needs to be put on leave and the authorities need to be notified. Our students and parents are counting on us to get them to their destination safely. Michael Benedict, bus attendant Provo (Utah) School District


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Publisher Tony Corpin


Editor Ryan Gray


Managing Editor Sylvia Arroyo


Creative Consultant Vincent Rios


Senior Designer Kimber Horne


Graphic Design Maria Molina


Copy Editor Michelle Fisher


Technical Editor Robert T. Pudlewski


CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Linda Bluth, Peggy Burns, John Whelan, Ned Einstein, Art Gissendaner, Julie Metea, Eric Woolson, Barb Fasing


Vice President Colette Paul


Ad Sales Tony Corpin


Circulation Andrea Hernandez


Marketing Coordinator Diane O'Meara


Marketing Assistant Keelyn Young


Chairman of the Board Bill Paul, STN Media Group


EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD:


Denny Coughlin, Consultant; Judith Dupille, Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles; Dick Fischer, Trans-Consult; Ron Love, Delaware DOE; Randy McLerran, National Bus Sales; Pete Meslin, Newport-Mesa Unified; Nancy Netherland, Migrant- Seasonal Head Start; Marshall Casey, Consultant; Alexandra Robinson, NAPT; Launi Schmutz, Washington County


Schools


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8 School Transportation News April 2014


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